Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-01-19
Misfellaueuns &eadiua
THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

The loving instruction of mother may
seem to have been thrown away, but it
will appear after many days. "When I
was little child" said a good old man,
''my mother used to bid me kneel down
beside her, and place her hand upon my
head while she prayed. Ere I was old
enough to know her worth she died, and
1 was left too much to my own guidance.
Like others, 1 was inclined to evil pas
sions, but often felt myself checked and, as
it were, drawn back by soft hand upon
my head. When young man travelled
in foreign lands, and was exposed to many
temptations, but when would have
yielded that same hand was upon my
head, and I was saved. 7 seemed to feel
its pressure as in the happy days of my
infancy and sometimes there came with
| it voice in my heart, voice that was
obeyed: %, do not this wickedness, my
son, nor sin against God.'" With chill
dren you must mix gentleness with firm
ness. A man who is learning to play on
trumpet, and petted child, are two
very disagreeable companions" If q
mother never has headaches, through re-
buking her little children, she shall have
plenty of heartaches when they grow up.
At the same time, a mother should not
hamper her child with unnecessary, fool
ish restrictions. 1t is great mistake to
fancy that your boy is made of glass, and
to be always telling him not to do this,
and not to do that, for fear of his breaking
himself. On the principle never to give
pain unless to prevent greater pain, you
should grant every request which IS at
all reasonable, and let him see that your
denial of a thing is for his own good, and
not simply to save trouble; but once hav-
ing duly settled thing, hold to it. Un-
less child learns from the first that his
mothers yea is yea, and her nay nay, it
will get into the habit Of whining and en-
deavoring to coax her out of her refusal,
and her authority will soon be gone.
Happiness is the natural condition of every
normal child, and if the small boy or girl
it is for self-entertainment, with certain
granted conditions, of course. One of these
IS physical freedom and few rude and
simple playthings. Agreeable occupation
is as great necessity for children as for
adults, and beyond this almost nothing
can be contributed to the real happiness
of child. II try so hard to make my
'children happy!" said mother with a
sigh, one day, in despair at her efforts.
"Stop trying" exclaimed a practical friend
at her elbow, and do as neighbor of mine
does" "And how is that ?" she asked,
dolefully. "Why, she simply lets her
children grow and develop naturally,
only directing their growth properly.
She has always thrown them, as far as
practical, upon their own resources, taught
them to wait upon themselves, no matter
how many servants she had, and to con-
struct their own playthings. When she
returns home from an absence, they await
but one thing, their mothers kiss. What
ever has been bought for them is bestowed
when the needed time comes. Nothing
exciting is allowed to them at night, and
they go to bed, and to sleep in wholesome
mental state that insures restful slumber.
They are taught to love nature, and to
feel that there is nothing arrayed so finely
as the lily of the field, and the bees
and butterflies that there is nothing. 80
mean as lie, nor anything so miserable
as disobedience, that it is a disgrace to
be sick, and that good health, good
teeth, and good temper come from plain
food, plenty of sleep, and being good"
In order to thrive children require a GER
tain amount of "letting alone" Supreme
faith in the mother, few toys, no tinery,
plain food, no drugs, and early to bed
are the best things for making them hap
Dy,-The OuiUer.